Comments on: On Tweaking http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/ Notes from my kitchen, in which I bake bread and raise a few other matters Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:20:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Susan http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-373 Susan Wed, 29 Aug 2007 01:25:47 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-373 Fru B, I'm glad it was clear that I was having some fun to make my point. kitchenMage, I'm in awe of people who understand all that. I'm kinda sorta getting there with bread but for anything else I'm completely hopeless. Fru B, I’m glad it was clear that I was having some fun to make my point.

kitchenMage, I’m in awe of people who understand all that. I’m kinda sorta getting there with bread but for anything else I’m completely hopeless.

]]> By: kitchenMage http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-355 kitchenMage Mon, 27 Aug 2007 21:29:12 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-355 I am one of the experimenters, but I am honest enough to call it 'cooking without a net' and I recognize that 40+ years of kitchen-time is no guarantee that my subs won't turn out awful. I do, however, understand the science behind the ingredients enough to know how to do this, even with cake recipes, even the first time. Well, most of the time. I am so glad you found A Year in Bread so that I found you. I am one of the experimenters, but I am honest enough to call it ‘cooking without a net’ and I recognize that 40+ years of kitchen-time is no guarantee that my subs won’t turn out awful. I do, however, understand the science behind the ingredients enough to know how to do this, even with cake recipes, even the first time. Well, most of the time.

I am so glad you found A Year in Bread so that I found you.

]]> By: Fru B http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-326 Fru B Sat, 25 Aug 2007 10:28:46 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-326 "Mom: Well, I wanted it to be low fat, low calorie, and high fiber. So I substituted nonfat milk for the cream and cut the sugar in half, and instead of white rice I used half brown rice and half quinoa. Oh, and I was out of cinnamon but nutmeg was on sale so I used that instead." So fun! I totally agree with you regarding 'respecting' the recipie! Love your page. “Mom: Well, I wanted it to be low fat, low calorie, and high fiber. So I substituted nonfat milk for the cream and cut the sugar in half, and instead of white rice I used half brown rice and half quinoa. Oh, and I was out of cinnamon but nutmeg was on sale so I used that instead.”

So fun!

I totally agree with you regarding ‘respecting’ the recipie!
Love your page.

]]> By: Susan http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-201 Susan Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:44:21 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-201 Elizabeth, don't you just love hindsight? Mary Jo, no wonder you're such a great cook: you have the taste equivalent of perfect pitch. Eat less rice pudding? That's asking a lot of me. Elizabeth, don’t you just love hindsight?

Mary Jo, no wonder you’re such a great cook: you have the taste equivalent of perfect pitch. Eat less rice pudding? That’s asking a lot of me.

]]> By: Mary Jo http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-189 Mary Jo Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:41:37 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-189 I can usually taste a recipe as I read it. I substitute all the time but I don't tinker too much with the critical elements of the recipe. I'm not much on low fat ingredients but will cut down on fat if I can and it doesn't matter that much. Rice pudding. Make it as written and eat less! Creme brulee---don't mess with it! I almost never fool with a cake recipe the first time I make it. I can usually taste a recipe as I read it. I substitute all the time but I don’t tinker too much with the critical elements of the recipe. I’m not much on low fat ingredients but will cut down on fat if I can and it doesn’t matter that much. Rice pudding. Make it as written and eat less! Creme brulee—don’t mess with it! I almost never fool with a cake recipe the first time I make it.

]]> By: ejm http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-186 ejm Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:12:22 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-186 I don't know that I would call it being "adventurous" with the pudding, Susan... more like a bit foolish. I must say though, (in my own defense) that with new cake or cookie recipes, I follow them pretty much to the letter on the first time around. The fish and sesame <i>was</i> a pretty good combination after I stopped being amazed that sesame seeds pop right out of the pan when they are heated as well as realizing that fish takes much less time to cook than chicken. (Duh. Of COURSE sesame seeds pop; of COURSE fish takes less time....) -Elizabeth I don’t know that I would call it being “adventurous” with the pudding, Susan… more like a bit foolish. I must say though, (in my own defense) that with new cake or cookie recipes, I follow them pretty much to the letter on the first time around.

The fish and sesame was a pretty good combination after I stopped being amazed that sesame seeds pop right out of the pan when they are heated as well as realizing that fish takes much less time to cook than chicken. (Duh. Of COURSE sesame seeds pop; of COURSE fish takes less time….)

-Elizabeth

]]> By: Susan http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-170 Susan Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:04:28 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-170 Jen, I like your style. Elizabeth, you're more adventurous than I would be the first time around with the pudding. But the fish and sesame does <em>sound</em> like a good combination... Hi BZ, nice that you stopped by! Please <em>don't</em> follow my recipes exactly, <em>do</em> make them your own, but if you expect the unexpected you'll probably be a lot happier. And maybe don't experiment too much when company's coming! Trish, I hear you! Jen, I like your style.

Elizabeth, you’re more adventurous than I would be the first time around with the pudding. But the fish and sesame does sound like a good combination…

Hi BZ, nice that you stopped by! Please don’t follow my recipes exactly, do make them your own, but if you expect the unexpected you’ll probably be a lot happier. And maybe don’t experiment too much when company’s coming!

Trish, I hear you!

]]> By: Trish http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-169 Trish Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:57:31 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-169 I'm SO glad you brought this up! My X-hubby used to go on and on about my fabulous Beef Stroganoff so a friend asked for the recipe - let's see - she substituted round steak for tenderloin, catsup for tomato paste, garlic salt for fresh garlic, etc etc - then she told me it was "OK" but not as good as she thought it might be... Sheesh! Trish I’m SO glad you brought this up! My X-hubby used to go on and on about my fabulous Beef Stroganoff so a friend asked for the recipe - let’s see - she substituted round steak for tenderloin, catsup for tomato paste, garlic salt for fresh garlic, etc etc - then she told me it was “OK” but not as good as she thought it might be…

Sheesh!

Trish

]]> By: Blue Zebra http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-164 Blue Zebra Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:24:44 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-164 Hi Susan! I'm so happy to finally see your blog! Your baking is an inspiration and I promise to follow all your recipes exactly! ;) BZ www.mulliganstewme.blogspot.com Hi Susan!
I’m so happy to finally see your blog! Your baking is an inspiration and I promise to follow all your recipes exactly! ;)

BZ
http://www.mulliganstewme.blogspot.com

]]> By: ejm http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-143 ejm Sun, 12 Aug 2007 13:22:26 +0000 http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/08/09/on-tweaking/#comment-143 I'm afraid that I do make changes for many first time recipes - but only the sort of changes that I'm pretty sure will not affect the outcome. For instance, with your mother's rice pudding, I might have tried using 2% milk and a bit of butter instead of the cream and rather than substituting all of the white rice, I would use half white rice and half of the other whole grain types. And half of the sugar but add some dates to make up for the lost sweetness. That's of course assuming that I would ever make rice pudding in the first place... I'm not the biggest fan of rice pudding - but my husband adores it and makes a soupy Indian-style rice pudding using Thai rice, 3% milk, cardamom, and a little bit of butter and sugar.(1/4 c sugar for 4 c milk and 1/2 c rice....) I invariably add a little bit of wholewheat flour to any bread recipe that calls for 100% all-purpose and I invariably reduce the amount of yeast for any recipe that calls for instant yeast - simply because I use active dry yeast. If a recipe calls for 1/2 tsp instant yeast, I use 1/2 tsp active dry yeast even though in ARTISAN BAKING ACROSS AMERICA, Maggie Glezer says that 3 gm compressed yeast is equivalent to 2 gm (1/2 tsp) active dry OR 1 gm (3/8 tsp) instant yeast". I used to be <i>quite</i> casual about making switches but finally learned my lesson when making "stir-fried chicken and almonds" but instead of using chicken, I used fish and instead of using almonds, I used sesame seeds. Now, fish and sesame seeds are probably fine together but they do NOT work if one tries to stir-fry them in the same fashion as chicken and almonds.... -Elizabeth P.S. Hmmm, perhaps my casual behaviour towards measurements is the reason that it took me 17 days to capture wild yeast? :-] I’m afraid that I do make changes for many first time recipes - but only the sort of changes that I’m pretty sure will not affect the outcome.

For instance, with your mother’s rice pudding, I might have tried using 2% milk and a bit of butter instead of the cream and rather than substituting all of the white rice, I would use half white rice and half of the other whole grain types. And half of the sugar but add some dates to make up for the lost sweetness. That’s of course assuming that I would ever make rice pudding in the first place… I’m not the biggest fan of rice pudding - but my husband adores it and makes a soupy Indian-style rice pudding using Thai rice, 3% milk, cardamom, and a little bit of butter and sugar.(1/4 c sugar for 4 c milk and 1/2 c rice….)

I invariably add a little bit of wholewheat flour to any bread recipe that calls for 100% all-purpose and I invariably reduce the amount of yeast for any recipe that calls for instant yeast - simply because I use active dry yeast. If a recipe calls for 1/2 tsp instant yeast, I use 1/2 tsp active dry yeast even though in ARTISAN BAKING ACROSS AMERICA, Maggie Glezer says that 3 gm compressed yeast is equivalent to 2 gm (1/2 tsp) active dry OR 1 gm (3/8 tsp) instant yeast”.

I used to be quite casual about making switches but finally learned my lesson when making “stir-fried chicken and almonds” but instead of using chicken, I used fish and instead of using almonds, I used sesame seeds. Now, fish and sesame seeds are probably fine together but they do NOT work if one tries to stir-fry them in the same fashion as chicken and almonds….

-Elizabeth

P.S. Hmmm, perhaps my casual behaviour towards measurements is the reason that it took me 17 days to capture wild yeast? :-]

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